Combination ball, rattle, and mirror for infants



March 7, 1950 T. FQY 2,499,483

COMBINATION BALL, RATTLE, AND MIRROR FOR INFANTS Filed Feb. 18, 1947THOMAS F0 Y,

Patented Mar. 7, 1950 COMBINATIOK BALL, BATTLE, AND MIRROR FOR INFANTSThomas Foy, Norwood, Ohio Application February 18, 1947, Serial No.729,361

This invention relates to toys for infants.

An object of the invention is to provide a toy for use by infants whichis a combination of a ball, rattle and mirror.

Another object of the invention is to provide a combination ball andrattle for use by infants which also incorporates a mirror securelyarranged insidethe ball in such manner that the infant may playtherewith in safety and without the dangers which are usuall attendantupon access to a mirror.

A further object of the invention is to provide a combination ball,rattle and mirror which is simple in design, inexpensive to manufacture,and which is effective as an amusing and educational toy for infants.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent fromthe following description of a preferred embodiment thereof, asillustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is an elevational view of the toy, the outer surface of theball being broken out and showing the interior mirror. the view beingtaken in a plane parallel to the plane of the mirror.

Figure 2 is a partly broken-out view similar to that of Figure 1. exceptthat the view is taken in a plane perpendicular to the plane of themirror inside the ball.

Figure 3 is an exploded view of the components of the tov. theorientation of the parts being the same as that of Figure 2, namely,with the plane of the mirror perpendicular to the plane of the drawingpaper.

In the manufacture of toys for use by small children, particularlyinfants toys, many attempts have been made to incorporate a mirror inthe toys, but this has not been done with any degree of success. due tothe ever-present danger of injury to the child from possible breakage ofthe mirror. However, the reflective characteristics of a mirror doprovide interestingpossibilities in children's to s, and the presentinvention discloses a solution of the problem which incorporates amirror, deriving its full reflective characteristics, yet renders itinaccessible to the child as a source of dan er, and in addition, themirror itself is unbreakable, thus removing the danger in any case. Atthe same time. the toy is novel in appearance, and is attractive anduseful for infants.

In order to understand clearly the nature of the invention. and the bestmeans for'carrying it out, reference may now be had tothe drawings, inwhich like numerals denote similar parts throughout the several views.As shown, I form a 2 claims. (01. 46-193) spherical ball I 0 out of twohemispheres l2 and I l. The hollow hemispheres are formed of clearplastic material molded or otherwise formed into the desiredhemispherical shape.

The hemispheres I2 and [4 are intended to be joined together along theirabuttingrim surfaces I6 and I8 to form a joint 20, the halves beingshown before joining in Figure 3, and after joining in Figure 2. Iprovide annular recesses 22 and 24 in each rim surface, such as 16 andHi, the recesses each having a depth equal to one-half the thickness ofa circular mirror 25 which is to be supported with its margin extendinginto each recess when the two hemispheres l2 and M are joined together.

The diameter of the mirror 26 is greater than the inside diameters ofthe two hemispheres, but is less than their outside diameters. so as tofit snugly into the recesses 22 and 24 when the hemispheres are joinedtogether, as in Figure 2. The mirror 26 is made of metal, such asstainless steel or other suitable material, which is highly polished onboth faces so as to form a two-sided mirror.

Before joining the two hemispheres and the included mirror together. Iprefer to place several colored plastic balls 28 inside each hemisphereso that some of the balls will be on each side of the mirror 26 of thejoined toy. The hemispheres may be cemented together, as shown inFigures 1 and 2, thus forming the finished toy.

The mirror and the balls 28 are then visible through the transparentshell of the ball and when the ball I0 is shaken by the infant, thesmall balls 28 cause the effect of a rattle as they bounce again t eachother and against the inner walls of the shell and the mirror faces. Theouter surface of the transparent ball in may be further ornamented bysuitable translucent or opaque stri es and animal-like figures, ifdesired.

Although I have described a preferred embodiment of my invention inspecific terms, it is to be understood that various changes may be madein size, shape, materials and arrangement without departing from thespirit and scope of the invention as claimed.

I claim:

1. A rolling, audible and visual toy, comprising a hollow thin sphereformed of transparent plastic material, a flat thin metal double-facedmirror arranged within the sphere and extending diametrically of thesame and having its marginal edge attached to the sphere, and coloredballs arranged within the sphere upon opposite sides of the mirror.

2. A rolling, audible and visual toy, comprising a hollow resilientsphere formed of transparent REFERENCES CITED plastic material and madein hemispherical sec- The following references are of record in thetions having meeting edges secured together, a me of this patent.

double-faced circular mirror arranged within the sphere and extendingdiametrically of the same 5 UNITED STATES PATEN TS and having a greaterdiameter than the internal Number Name t diameter of the sphere and anchred to the 1,576,231 Cohn Mar. 9, 1926 sphere at themeeting edges of thehemispherical 1567506 Romano 24 1923 sections, and colored ballsarranged within the 2,430,313 Zimmerman 4, 1947 sphere upon oppositesides of the mirror and 10 freely rotatable therein.

THOMAS EOY.

